UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 14A
                                 (Rule 14A-101)

                PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                               (AMENDMENT NO. __)


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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  [X]

Check appropriate box:
[ ]        Preliminary Proxy Statement
[ ]        Confidential, For Use of the Commission Only (as permitted
           by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
[ ]        Definitive Proxy Statement
[ ]        Definitive Additional Materials
[X]        Soliciting Material under Rule 14a-12

                                AZTAR CORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                          PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

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                                          Filed by: Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.
                                                         Pursuant to Rule 14a-12
                                       under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                                              Subject Company: Aztar Corporation
                                                      Commission File No. 1-5440



On April 19, 2006, Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. published the following press
release:

[PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT LOGO]                PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
                                             3800 Howard Hughes Parkway
                                             Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
                                             NYSE: PNK
================================================================================

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT:                  JOELE FRANK, WILKINSON BRIMMER KATCHER:
- -----------------------                   --------------------------------------
Lewis Fanger (Investors)-(702)784-7777    Matthew Sherman (Media)-(212) 355-4449
Pauline Yoshihashi (Media)-(702)784-7777

PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT AMENDS MERGER AGREEMENT WITH AZTAR CORPORATION TO
INCREASE PRICE TO $43.00 PER COMMON SHARE

LAS VEGAS,  APRIL 19,  2006 - Pinnacle  Entertainment,  Inc.  (NYSE:  PNK) today
announced  that its Board of Directors has  unanimously  approved an increase in
the per-share price under the Company's  merger  agreement to acquire all of the
outstanding  common shares of Aztar Corporation  (NYSE: AZR) to $43.00 per share
in cash. The purchase price for each share of Aztar Series B preferred stock has
been  increased  to $454.79 in cash.  The fully  financed  transaction  includes
approximately  $1.65  billion  in  equity  on a  fully  diluted  basis  and  the
refinancing of all of Aztar's outstanding indebtedness.

As  announced on March 13,  2006,  Pinnacle and Aztar  entered into a definitive
merger  agreement  under which  Pinnacle  would  acquire all of the  outstanding
common  shares of Aztar for $38.00 per share in cash.  In raising  the  proposed
merger price to $43.00 per share,  Pinnacle exercised its right under the merger
agreement to respond to a third-party proposal.

ABOUT PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT
Pinnacle Entertainment owns and operates casinos in Nevada,  Louisiana,  Indiana
and Argentina, owns a hotel in Missouri,  receives lease income from a card club
casino in the Los  Angeles  metropolitan  area,  has been  licensed to operate a
small  casino  in the  Bahamas,  and  owns a  casino  site  and has  significant
insurance claims related to a  hurricane-damaged  casino previously  operated in
Biloxi,  Mississippi.  Pinnacle  opened a major casino  resort in Lake  Charles,
Louisiana in May 2005 and a new replacement casino in Neuquen, Argentina in July
2005.  Pinnacle  also has two  casino  development  projects  in the St.  Louis,
Missouri area. The development projects are dependent upon final approval by the
Missouri Gaming Commission.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT

All statements included in this press release, other than historical information
or statements of historical fact, are  "forward-looking  statements"  within the
meaning  of  the  Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995.  These
forward-looking  statements,  including  statements regarding Pinnacle's pending
acquisition of Aztar,  the growth  opportunities  and synergies for the combined
company, current and potential future development  opportunities and anticipated
opening dates, are based on Pinnacle  management's  current expectations and are
subject  to  risks,  uncertainties  and  changes  in  circumstances  that  could
significantly  affect future results.  Accordingly,  Pinnacle  cautions that the
forward-looking  statements  contained herein are qualified by important factors
that could cause actual  results to differ  materially  from those  reflected by
such statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (a) the risk that
the  acquisition  does not close;  (b) the  substantial  increase in  Pinnacle's
indebtedness  if the acquisition  closes;  (c) Pinnacle's  redevelopment  of the
Tropicana  Las Vegas site would be a project of a larger scale than any Pinnacle
has undertaken, and is subject to significant risks and contingencies, including
the availability and cost of financing and construction  risks; (d) the combined
company's  post-acquisition  results of  operations  may not meet  expectations,
which may make it  difficult  for  Pinnacle to service the debt  Pinnacle  would
incur in the  transaction;  (e) the risk that new projects and expansions  could
strain  Pinnacle's  financial  resources  and might not provide for a sufficient
return,  if any;  (f)  significant  competition  facing  Pinnacle  in all of its
markets;  (g) many  construction-related  factors  could  prevent  Pinnacle from
completing its construction and development  projects within budget and on time;
and (h) other  risks,  including  those as may be detailed  from time to time in
Pinnacle's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). For more
information  on the  potential  factors that could affect  Pinnacle's  financial
results and  business,  review  Pinnacle's  filings with the SEC,  including its
Annual Report on Form 10-K,  its Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current
Reports on Form 8-K.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT
This press release may be deemed to be  solicitation  material in respect of the
proposed merger of Aztar and Pinnacle.  In connection with the proposed  merger,
Aztar  plans to file a proxy  statement  with the SEC.  INVESTORS  AND  SECURITY
HOLDERS OF AZTAR ARE ADVISED TO READ THE PROXY  STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT
DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE  BECAUSE THOSE DOCUMENTS
WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT  INFORMATION  ABOUT THE PROPOSED MERGER.  The final proxy
statement  will be  mailed to  stockholders  of Aztar.  Investors  and  security
holders  may  obtain  a free  copy  of the  proxy  statement,  when  it  becomes
available,  and other  documents  filed by Aztar with the SEC,  at the SEC's web
site at http://www.sec.gov.  Free copies of the proxy statement, when it becomes
available,  and Aztar's  other  filings  with the SEC may also be obtained  from
Aztar.  Free copies of Aztar's filings may be obtained by directing a request to
Aztar Corporation,  2390 East Camelback Road, Suite 400, Phoenix, Arizona 85016,
Attention:  Secretary. Aztar, Pinnacle and their respective directors, executive
officers and other members of their management and employees may be deemed to be
soliciting  proxies from Aztar's  stockholders in favor of the proposed  merger.
Information  regarding Aztar's directors and executive  officers is available in
Aztar's proxy statement for its 2006 annual meeting of  stockholders,  which was
filed with the SEC on April 10, 2006. Information regarding Pinnacle's directors
and executive  officers is available in Pinnacle's  proxy statement for its 2006
annual meeting of stockholders,  which was filed with the SEC on April 13, 2006.
Additional  information  regarding the interests of such potential  participants
will be included in the proxy  statement and the other relevant  documents filed
with the SEC when they become available.